QC Software Executive Discusses Slotting for Greater Warehouse Efficiency

Cincinnati, OH, March 24, 2012 --(PR.com)-- If you want to achieve higher levels of efficiency in the warehouse, you may want to take a closer look at how you store your inventory. Product slotting, which is a process that optimizes inventory locations, is critical to effective and accurate order fulfillment.

“If your warehouse has bottlenecks or a high error rate, it’s time to review your operation including your slotting strategy,” states Rich Hite, President of QC Software, a leading provider of warehouse control systems. “Poor product placement affects the entire inventory lifecycle, so people are working harder to accomplish each task. And as business needs change, managers must make the appropriate adjustments to maintain operational efficiency.”

Since slotting involves hundreds of thousands of calculations, managers need a robust application to automate the process and allow them to make timely, intelligent decisions. Slotting optimization software uses sophisticated algorithms to quickly and accurately determine the best product location, taking into consideration inventory characteristics and volume, order commonality, physical layout, ergonomics, hazardous materials, the company’s strategy and business rules, and many other factors.

Benefits of good product slotting include:
Greater picking productivity. Better product placement reduces travel time and labor costs.

Fewer picking errors. Similar products can be separated to reduce mistakes.

Better ergonomics. Oversized items can be placed in a separate location where equipment will handle them. High velocity items can be placed in locations that minimize bending and reaching.

Work load balancing. Inventory can be placed in multiple picking locations to reduce congestion, improve throughput, and reduce total response time for orders.

Efficient consolidation. Storing and picking inventory by groups can reduce sorting and consolidation efforts.

Less inventory damage. Product can be stored in locations based on size and weight, which means heavier items can be picked first and placed on the bottom of the shipping container to minimize damage.

Efficient replenishment. Appropriate sizing of a pick face location reduces the time required to replenish inventory at that location.

Enhanced space utilization. Slotting determines the most efficient storage layout.

QC Software is recognized as an industry leader in providing innovative and adaptive software solutions for order fulfillment and distribution centers. Their warehouse control system provides advanced management capabilities for inventory control, resource scheduling and order management. For over 16 years, these solutions have enabled customers throughout North America and in Europe to streamline their warehouse operations with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry.

For more information, contact Jerry List
Phone: 513.469.1424